Current Projects
Integration and Analytics of Public Health Big Data for Identifying Risk Factors for Obesity
“Integration and Analytics of Public Health Big Data for Identifying Risk Factors for Obesity,” collaborating with Dr. Sangmi Pallickara in the Computer Department at CSU.
Briefs: This study is to translate Big Data approach to clinical and public health research areas. Disease prevention requires identification of modifiable risk factors/behaviors for diseases and followed by tailored interventions to ameliorate those risk factors/behaviors to improve health and reduce the risk of encountering diseases. Identifying modifiable risk factors/behaviors for certain health issues is determined by the availability, richness, and dynamic pattern of relevant data. Despite of great efforts in collecting and analyzing traditional public health data, many aspects of public health are still considered data-poor due to the high cost of sampling, a lack of geographically-linked data, lengthy data collection/dissemination cycles, attrition of participants in longitudinal studies, and long-term follow-up. The burgeoning Big Data era provides public health a good opportunity to better evaluate and monitor risk behaviors/factors for diseases with high volume, high variety, and high streaming of data. However, challenges (e.g., low-veracity of data, difficult access to the data, less efficiency of storage and integration of high-volume data, insufficient training of modeling and analytic approaches) exist in turning Big Data into knowledge and application in disease prevention. The goal of this study is to establish fundamental approaches ready for the oncoming flood of Big Data era to enhance disease prevention. Successful completion of this study’s aims will develop an innovative protocol in integrating, storing, and analyzing Big Data to monitor and evaluate the dynamic association between the pattern of modifiable risk behaviors and obesity, as an example, from children to adulthood.
Dynamic association between modifiable behaviors and cardiometabolic risk profile from adolescence to emerging adulthood
“Dynamic association between modifiable behaviors and cardiometabolic risk profile from adolescence to emerging adulthood.”
Briefs: The purposes of the project are to (1) create a novel composite metabolic syndrome (MetS) change score to examine prospective changes in cardiometabolic risk profile between adolescence and early adulthood; (2) identify groups with similar patterns of health behaviors (e.g., exercise, sleep, dietary intake) over time using an advanced statistical approach called Latent Class Analysis; and (3) examine the dynamic association between patterns of modifiable behaviors and cardiometabolic risk profile among youth and a potential moderation effect of weight status group at baseline on the dynamic association.
Longitudinal Estimation of Cardiovascular Disease Risks among Colorado Firefighters
“Longitudinal Estimation of Cardiovascular Disease Risks among Colorado Firefighters“, collaborating with Dr. Tracy Nelson and Tiffany Lipsey in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at CSU.
Briefs: Firefighting is known to be a high-risk occupation, with the primary danger often thought to be injury, bodily harm or death as a direct result of smoke inhalation, burns or combustion. However, it has been documented that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in on-duty firefighters. Cardiac death contributes to 45% of fatalities among firefighters on duty. One important strategy to reduce the high CVD risk of firefighters is the screening for CVD risk factors which are the targets for CVD prevention and treatment. Our goals for this study is twofold. First, we will track MetS (and relevant components) and 10-year risk of ASCVD across visits among Colorado firefighters who were enrolled in Heart Disease Prevention Program at Colorado State University; and second, we propose to provide fundamental epidemiological and behavioral evidence to clarify the role of modifiable behaviors and fitness in firefighters’ CVD.
Comparing Dynamic Heart Rate Measurements between Wrist Wearable Devices and Electrocardiogram
“Comparing Dynamic Heart Rate Measurements between Wrist Wearable Devices and Electrocardiogram.”
Briefs: Activity monitors such as the Fitbit Charge and Apple Watch have become very popular in recent years in part due to new technology that can measure one’s heart rate from illuminating the skin and blood vessels near the wrist. The accuracy and reliability of this technology have been under scrutiny, especially during exercise, which is the main application for this technology and device. The goal of this study is to assess the accuracy and reliability of the heart rate sensing technology of these devices compared to ECG assessment, the gold standard for heart rate measurement.
NEXT Generation Health Longitudinal Study 2009-2016
“NEXT Generation Health Longitudinal Study 2009-2016 “, collaborating with the Health Behavior Branch of National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.
Briefs: NEXT is a 7-year longitudinal assessment of a representative sample of U.S. adolescent and young adults starting at grade 10. The goals of the NEXT longitudinal study include: to identify the trajectory of adolescent health status and health behaviors from mid-adolescence through the post high school years; to examine individual predictors of the onset of key adolescent risk behaviors and risk indicators during this period; to identify genetic, personal, family, school, and social/environmental factors that promote or sustain positive health behaviors; to identify transition points in health risk and risk behaviors and changes in family, school, and social/environmental precursors to these transitions, and to examine the role of potential gene-environment interactions in the development of health status and health behaviors. More details…
Testing whether community gardening leads to reduced sedentary time, increased MVPA
“Testing whether community gardening leads to reduced sedentary time, increased MVPA” in a “A pilot RCT of gardening as an intervention to reduce risk of cancer and heart disease” collaborating with Dr. Jill Litt in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Briefs: In this pilot study, an interdisciplinary team with extensive garden study experience conducts a pilot randomized controlled clinical trial to see if gardening can reduce risk factors for diseases like cancer and heart disease. The pilot trial will provide preliminary data on associations between the human microbiome, health behavior, and social interactions and the outcomes of weight status and key inflammatory biomarkers. The Assessment and Promotion of Physical Activity and Health lab mainly focuses on the comparisons of repeated measures of sedentary time, physical activity, BMI, and waist circumference between study participants randomized to garden, or to not garden.
Does cannabis use improve symptoms associated with Neurological Diseases? An anonymous online survey
“Does cannabis use improve symptoms associated with Neurological Diseases? An anonymous online survey“, collaborating with Dr. Thorsten Rudroff, in the Department of Health and Exercise Science at CSU.
Briefs: We study the impact of fatigue and physical disability in people with neurological conditions. This announcement is for our current project investigating the Benefits and Consequences of cannabis use for the treatment of symptoms of neurological conditions. We are looking for volunteers, 18+ years of age with a diagnosed neurological condition (e.g. Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s, Essential Tremor, TBI, Dementias) to take this anonymous online survey. The survey will take approximately 15-30 min to complete. At the completion of this project we hope to allow both patients and health care professionals to make informed decisions about whether or not to use or recommend cannabis/marijuana to treat neurological illnesses.
Assessment of physical activity measured with different approaches survey, pedometer, and accelerometry among preschoolers in the LEAP program
“Assessment of physical activity measured with different approaches survey, pedometer, and accelerometry among preschoolers in the LEAP program” collaborating with Dr. Laura Bellows in the USDA funded project “A Longitudinal Study to Assess if the Effectiveness of a Preschool Nutrition and Physical Activity Program is sustained in Elementary School”